Traffic Tickets and Points

If you get a traffic ticket, you'll need to decide whether to pay the fine and accept the penalty placed on your driving record or to contest the ticket and plead not guilty. Choosing the first of these options is simpler, although your insurance premium may go up.

Accepting the Penalty Online

If you would like to accept the penalty and pay the fine online, you should send your payment to the county court noted on your traffic ticket at least two weeks before your court date. All tickets must be paid in full. Check online for more detailed information for your country and be sure to read your ticket for any further information. Not all counties support paying ticket fines online.

Fighting the Ticket

You may go to traffic court and plead “not guilty” if you believe you were not in violation of Illinois law or if you believe there are extenuating circumstances. You may want to contact a traffic attorney before you go to court.

Lost Your Ticket

If you have lost your ticket, you will need to contact the county traffic court for the county where you received the citation. The county clerk should be able to provide you all the information you need to pay the fine or fight the ticket.

Points for Your Tickets

Illinois has a very detailed points system that explicitly assigns points based on many different types of traffic offenses. The following lists some of the most common violations and their points: